STARFIRE #8

“The Dwellers of the Dark Domain!”
Writer: Tom Defalco
Artists: Mike Vosburg & Vince Colletta

The survivors of the Lightning Lords are in a losing battle with the Mygorg. Then Starfire and her two friends come with laser guns. This turns the battle to the humans favor. Thus with the human survivors they join the remnants of Starfire’s army and plan their next move. It is agreed they need to find a safe haven. An old man tells of The Haven an island that humans control. He knows where it is and has the totem that will grant them access. Only soon after a giant spider attacks and kills the old man. They find an albino priest that was victim of the spider. He came from a cave so Starfire and some men go to explore it.

They find a futuristic city and a floater comes with men. Only the men attack because they don’t allow strangers. Starfire captures their leader and is allowed to meet Maybor the head honcho. Maybor tells of how the priests created the Eye of Armageddon which allows the Mygorg to exist on their world. Starfire and her men pass out because their food was drugged. Starfire wakes to find herself hanging from the ceiling in Maybor’s chambers. Maybor has decided to take Starfire as his mate. Starfire kicks him in the face and knocks his glasses off. The light blinds him and Starfire frees herself. She forces Maybor to take her to her men held captive in the colosseum. The men are about to be eaten by another giant spider. She crashes the floater into the spider killing it and Maybor. The explosion blinds the others and her men escape in a floater.

So this is the final issue but was a real fun one. Once again a new writer which would make it four writers and at least two editors for an eight issue run. This did effect the continuity of the series and the character was never allowed to fully form. The world also went through several changes. Now we were getting a new quest in finding the Eye of Armageddon which would expel all the Mygorg.

The series was cancelled right out of the blue. It advertises the next issue on sale the second week of September. The letter page had no mention of a cancellation. There was a brief introduction of a mysterious alien visitor that was hinted to play a major part in a future story. Sadly we never found out about this alien or if Starfire succeeded in freeing her world. This was a unique and enjoyable series that sadly didn’t get the focus it deserved. Musical writers gave it an uneven mythology and the supporting characters alternated from rogues to cowards to heroic. Too bad that this series didn’t continue on for it had great potential.

STARFIRE #7

“Freedom Never Dies”
Writer: Steve Engelhart
Artists: Mike Vosberg & Vince Colletta

Starfire is surrounded by the Yorg. She manages to find a secret passage to the weapons room. It only costs her a rusty nail sticking out that tears off her tunic. She finds laser weapons and starts killing the Yorg. The Yorg start demanding help in finding Starfire from Djinn and the Keeper. The Keeper decides to help Starfire and brings her friends that are captive of the Mygorg to her. Only he doesn’t know what power to use in the transport spell and kills all of Starfire’s men except Moonwatcher.

Starfire finds Moonwatcher and they rescue Thump. They find out from the Keeper that the Lightning Lords were the ones in charge and decided to collaborate with the invaders. Lady Djinn was responsible for turning the master computer programmer into the giant slow witted Thump. The Mygorg comes to the citadel looking for Starfire and instead finds their enemy the Yorg. The two species start to fight. Thump remembers enough of computers to transport the three to safety. Djinn is transformed into a computer just before the citadel explodes. Starfire, Moonwatcher and Thump now armed with laser rifles continue their quest to free their world.

Well a lot of things happen in this issue. First off the bat is once again a new costume change for Starfire. One that involves even a skimpier one. Nothing wrong with that but it is an obvious attempt to increase sales. So did it work? Well there would be only one more issue so I guess not. We also get to find out the origin of Thump and why he understands computers. Finally they also very coldly through computer error kill off most of Starfire’s men. They decided to tighten up the story with just three strong characters. Not a bad idea but that was a cold way to do it. This series was really starting to get good which is a shame it soon ended.

STARFIRE #6

“Citadel of Silence”
Writer: Steve Engleheart
Artists: Mike Vosberg & Vince Colletta

Starfire and Thump have found the Lightning Lords and the people seem to worship them. They go into the tower and meet a woman named Djinn Lady of the Lightning. She is a sorceress and together with the computer called the Keeper they rule over the Lightning Lords. At first they seem to be very helpful in arming Starfire’s rebels. Only Thump senses something and stays around after Starfire leaves. He overhears Djinn and the Keepers are plotting against them. He attacks but Djinn uses her magic to capture him. Meanwhile Starfire’s men are attacked by a larger horde of Mygorg and taken prisoner. Starfire later finds herself attacked by the Yorg. The other alien race that invaded her world. The Yorg are shadow creature and not solid. Starfire manages to find a patch of sunlight to hold them off. Only Djinn has abandoned her and the sun is setting.

A new writer brings us a new change in costume. I love this new costume but also loved the old one. The explanation given is the old costume was designed for slaves and Starfire needed something more practical. OK well both look real sexy. So we get some introduction to the Lightning Lords. Djinn uses her magic to keep the computer going since nobody knows any technical science anymore. Djinn was under the control of the Yorg. We finally get introduced to this race. Also Engleheart decided to make Starfire’s men fighters again instead of cowards which I think is a wise decision. I like the new direction of this series.

STARFIRE #5

“Here There Be Monsters!”
Writer: Elliot Maggin
Artists: Mike Vosberg & Vinnie Colletta

Starfire and her group are approaching the Lighting Lord’s stronghold. They are attacked by a giant bird and only Starfire and Thump manage to kill it. Starfire and Thump are the only ones with any courage so those two continue on. They are attacked by a tank that shoots lasers. Thump manages to destroy the radar dish on top which disables it. The two then find themselves transported to a cell in the stronghold. Thump manages to figure out the computer and saves the two. They are attacked by a giant monster which the two defeat. The Lightning Lords then attack until they see the amulet that Thump wears around his neck. They fall to their knees.

So Starfire finds the Lightning Lords. A strange place that does have some advanced tech they could use. Thump the giant mute is revealed to have some connection to the place. He has not only an ability to read maps but use computers. He also seems to be worshipped by the Lightning Lords. An interesting development that I am looking forward to finding out about. I notice that Maggin has Starfire’s band portrayed as a bunch of weak wimps. Moonwatcher is still a sleazy character that has no redeeming value. This is an odd choice since the band started out as fighters under Micheline. Now we are getting a new writer next issue and I suppose a whole new direction.

STARFIRE #4

“Slaves of the Golden Queen”
Writer: Elliot S. Maggin
Artists: Mike Vosberg and Vince Colletta

Starfire and her rebels are attacked by Mygorg with tails that shoot fire. All their supplies are stolen but luckily they notice a city in the valley up ahead. This city is ruled by Caroleen. Queen Caroleen is someone who hates men and keeps them as slaves. She will trade supplies if Starfire will sell her three of her men. The three men are OK with this so Starfire agrees. Later she infiltrates the city and frees her men. We find out the history of Caroleen. Like Starfire she was groomed to be a concubine for the Mygorg. She rebelled and escaped but not before the Mygorg scarred half her face. Now she hates all men. A fight with Starfire results in her falling to her death. Starfire and her companions continue on their quest.

This was an interesting story. We actually have a different foe. This time a human woman who has some serious issues with men. It seemed that back in the seventies it was a fairly popular story idea to have amazon societies. This issue also establishes her companions. Moonwatcher is a particularly sleazy guy who seems a bit untrustworthy. Thump is the loyal one. Anzus and Raynor are also named but still don’t really have an established character so far. I love this series. It is so seventies with a beautiful woman as the main character.

STARFIRE #3

“The Arena of the Frost-Dragon”
Writer: Elliot Maggin
Artists: Mike Vosberg and Vince Colletta

A big giant mute human is in an arena to entertain the Mygorg. He fights a frost breathing dragon and manages to kill it. This gets overshadowed by Starfire and her band of rebels attacking. They slaughter the Mygorg and free all the humans including the big giant who Starfire named Thump. The Mygorg need to track down and destroy Starfire so they use a skilled human tracker named Moonwatcher. He finds out they will attack a village and the Mygorg hide there to ambush Starfire. Only Moonwatcher decides to desert and warn her. They surprise the Mygorg and destroy them while liberating the humans. At the end Starfire is about to abandon the quest for the Lightning Lords becaues nobody can read the map. Only surprise Thump can and points the way.

This was another fun issue. A new writer he continues the wild adventure. We get some new characters in Thump who is a simple giant that is powerful but otherwise timid. Surprisingly he also can read Mygorg which is convenient to advance the story. Also a goofy looking guy that is a skilled tracker. He also thinks he can just take Starfire for himself but he gets his ass kicked by her. Starfire is very forgiving and thinks he will get with the program so to speak. I am enjoying this series.

STARFIRE #2

“The Siege of Lortnan Manor”
Writer: David Michelinie
Artists: Mike Vossburg & Vince Colletta

Some Mygorg are about to punish a young boy when Starfire and her band come to the rescue. She dispatches the leader and her men take care of the rest. The boy named Kyrse is grateful but his father Velg Lortnan is not. Velg is the human magistrate for the area and believes that Starfire has made things worse. This turns out to be true for the band they killed was an advanced guard to a much larger force. Now Starfire is trapped in a siege of the castle. The Mygorg commander uses a flying dragon that shoots lasers from it’s eyes. Starfire manages to lasso it and it crashes into the tower. Then she leads the dazed creature toward the Mygorg and the creature starts to attack the Mygorg.

Starfire is going to sneak out of the castle and Kyrse gives her a map. The map is supposed to lead to the Lightning Lords. A mysterious group that may have ancient weapons that can defeat the Mygorg. Kyrse decides to stay because of his father. This proves to be a mistake for his father is worried about Mygorg reprisals. So he wants to kill some rebels and gets a crossbow ready. Only he shoots an approaching figure and kills his only son.

The second issue continues to be an enjoyable story. Starfire is now a leader of a rebellion. She proves herself to be a great warrior and leader. We meet another human and he is basically a collaborator. Yet his son is a rebel who was going to be punished for reading a book. A very tragic ending to Kyrse. Another interesting revelation are these Lighting Lords. We find out that the Mygorg disdain all weapons other then those used in personal combat. An explanation why an advanced society has no guns. This looks like the main goal the writer sets up for our heroine is to find this society.

STARFIRE #1

“A World Made of War”
Writer: David Michelinie
Artists: Mike Vosberg and Robert Smith

A young woman is rescued from ugly lizardmen by a goofy looking guy in a big hat and tights. She is taken away in a floater(a flying craft) to his camp. There we find out the girl is Starfire. She is a half Asian/White who because of her exotic looks was taken as a pampered pet by Sookaroth. This world the Mygorg rule and humans are slaves. Starfire has a sheltered life until her eighteenth birthday. She finds out that she is to marry Sookaroth so she flees. It is at some ruins she is rescued from Sookaroth by Dagan.

Dagan tells Starfire the history of this world. That humans once ruled but were engaged in a war between two factions. One faction discovered an interdimensional portal and brought over the Mygorg to fight their war. The other side brought over their enemies the Yorg. Eventually these two races took over and enslaved humans. Dagan is a member of a warrior priest order. So he teaches young Starfire to hunt and fight. They eventually fall in love. One day she discovers their camp attacked by Sookaroth. She goes to his castle and finds Dagon tortured to death. Starfire frees the human slaves and kills Sookaroth.

Back in the seventies DC was trying to find a sword and sorcery title to compete with Conan. Most of them were short lived but interesting nonetheless. This one decided to be a swords and science title. Never really understood how an advanced society still had to use swords but this was an enjoyable series. It also had a woman as the main protagonist. Something rare back then. The series starts out strong. Starfire is at first very timid and naive. She is no Mary Sue. She has believable character development to grow into a strong leader and fighter.

The only real complain is the costume that Dagan wears. It looks rediculous with its oversize top hat and court jester tights. I have a hard time taking this guy seriously as a warrior. This priesthood needs to really get a better fashion designer. A real fun and enjoyable old school comic.